Creative Writing 101
by Silver Winged ShininoTenshi
Summary: Tai started a creative writing class... this story is very simple. It's a story in a story. It's Tai's story while he's writing it.... just take a peek.... NOT MUCH DIGIMON INVOLVMENT....sorry...someone commited on it earlier...
1. Mysterious Fox

**__**

Mysterious Fox

Her smile's mysterious and sarcastic. A perfect mask of emotion. Her dark red hair hangs down her cheeks, showing off every feature in her face. Her violet eyes sparkle in a way that said she knows everything, and yet not a thing. She wears a small winter blue hat. It reminds me of a French painter's hat without the small tail sticking up. Her dark blue jean jacket has a black ruff on the cuffs and neck. As she moves to my desk the black jean mini-skirt was tempting. She sits her purse on my desk.

My name's Dragon. Dragon McCloud. I'm a detective, one of the best in my game. Whose she? Beats me, but she's gorgeous. She sits slowly down in the chair behind my desk. I lean against the window. "Who are you, princess?"

She stares down at my desk, almost sadly. "My name's Fox… Fox Red."

"Fox? I've only heard of one person named Fox, and that was a guy."

She looks up at me. "So?" Her voice is soft and gentle. "I have a case."

I move to her and grin. "Ya know, I didn't train to be a detective so other people could sit in my chair."

Her eyes are enough to make a guy melt. She reaches into the bag she carries. "I have money… plenty of money." She sits a stack of bills at least three inches thick on the desktop. The top bill was a hundred dollar bill. "How much will it cost?"

"I'm good."

"A thousand? Two, three thousand? Name your price."

"What's the case? I can't set prices until I know the crime… or even if I'll do it."

She reaches into her bag and pulls out a picture. She stares at it a moment then lays it face up. It's a jewel, a big tanzanite one, in the shape of a foxes head. "This was stolen from me. It's priceless, thousands of years old, worth millions on it's own. It has been in my family for years."

"I've never-"

"Heard of it? I know. We keep it a secret. Very few people do… my family practically worships it however. It's vital that you get it back for me. Without it my family falls apart. My family falls apart."

"Huh?"

Tai looked up. He found himself staring into violet eyes. "Sammi, you made me mess up."

"Hmm…" She leaned down and kissed his lips softly. "I know." She moved to his side and took a bite of a big cookie. After she swallowed it she asked, "What are you writing?"

"A mystery for my Creative Writing class."

"Need my laptop?"

"That'd be wonderful."

"Want half my cookie?"

"Sure."

She split it in half and gave him the half she hadn't bit off of. "I baked it myself, and it came out surprisingly good."

"Whose idea was it for us to pick each other's classes?"

"Roma's. You and Matt made me take cooking classes."

"Who picked me to go into Creative Writing?"

"Matt, Roma and me…"

"What'd Ant go into?"

"Book keeping."

"Ro?"

"Biology."

"And Matt went into typing, right?"

"Yep… I'll get my laptop for ya." She stood and crossed the room. She came back and handed it to him. "Be careful with it. I have a few files saved to it. It's fast and sensitive. If you click on something it's gonna pop up in a snap… besides that it cost me a cool eight hundred dollars. So break it," She kissed him. "and I start loving you, okay?"

"That no good."

"No, it isn't." She stood. "I'd hate to stay and chat for awhile, but I've gotta jet. I decided to join Drama club and they have a meeting in a little bit." She walked to the door, turned and grinned at Tai. " I hate you."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way, love ya."

"Sure." She disappeared out the door.

Tai grabbed a disk and saved his story to it. He stared at Sam's laptop. "I need one of those…" He started writing on his story again, after deleting the last part.

"Do you have any idea who took it?"

"If I did, would I come to you?"

"Good point. Do you know where it might have been taken?"

She sighs and shakes her head. "I was at Animix… See, my mama's very sick and needs medicine. I was trying to get a job there. I didn't realize how hard a waitress worked until last night. I'm to always wear the amulet around my neck, and never take it off. I'm going off track, aren't I?"

"No, not at all. I'm sure this is all important. Go on."

"Okay… well, you see I was so tired that I just fell asleep on one of the couches there. When I woke it was gone."

"Animix, eh? I'll start my investigation right away."

"Thank you very much… Dragon."

"Take your money. I'm sure you're mother needs it more then me."

She took the stack of money and set it I her bag. "Thank you… keep the picture." She stood. "I must get to work now." She grins. "Maybe I'll see you there."

"Tai!!! You've been on the computer all day. Get off!"

"That doesn't sound right…"

"I said get off, Tai." His sister grumbled. "I need it to, and you've been on all day."

"But, Ro, I'm working' on my story. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have to work on it anyway."

"I need it. Get off."

Tai sighed and saved again. "Fine, I'll just go where I can get some privacy here." He grabbed up the laptop and went upstairs.

He went into the bathroom, sure no one would bother him there. He flipped open the laptop, turned it on and inserted the disk.

"Maybe you will, Princess." She closed the door and it seemed like she floated away.

I go to my chair and flop into it. It seems suspicious to me that she's working at the Animix to get money, and she had all that cash with her. I know she's a client, but already she's a suspect. She could have taken it just to ruin the reputation of Animix, or just maybe this is a scam to get me down there so they can try to kill me… again.

The Animix looks like any other club on the outside. It has a sign written in gold colored letters reading 'Animix'. There are guards, I'm assuming probably gangsters, at the doors. You want in, you show you can pay up front. No money, no entrance. Good idea, honestly.

I pull out my wallet and show it to the guards. It's got money in there, so I just walk right in.

The floors are all hardwood. Probably Oak or some other important type tree. Their tables vary in size. From small, round, one or two people tables, to booths and tables that hold up to nearly 20 people, I'm sure. The lights are dim, but bright enough to show everything in the room.

I walk around to one of the small tables up front. The chair looks fragile, but made of iron. God, I hope it will hold me. I sit, and that's when I see her.

She tosses her blood colored hair back, out of her face, and jots down an order. She's wearing a black mini-skirt with a silver looking chain belt. Her top is black and comes just above her navel. Her shoes are dark blue sandals. She really is quite pretty.

I look around. Lots of people I don't know. There's the owner. He sticks out because of his blond hair, blue eyes, pale skin and slick dressing. His name's Wolf "the Terror" Fang. He's only a few tables away from me. The stick of a sucker sticks out of his mouth, and there are a people around him. Another blond boy, Bear Fang, Wolf's youngest brother, and a girl with bright red hair, Butterfly McCloud, my twin sister. We went our separate ways years ago, though we do talk to each other, it's not like we hate one another.

I wonder what happened to Tiger Fang. The second oldest child in the Fang family. Rumor has it he broke away from his brothers because he couldn't stand the gangster thing. No one knows for sure what happened. I had that case. Me and about five other great detectives. He just disappeared into thin air. Personally I think there was disagreement in the family and someone killed him, but that's just me.

I look back to where Fox was. She's gone. Drat. Oh well. I don't need her right now to solve the crime. I just wanted her to know she was a suspect, along with the Fangs and Miss McCloud… or should I call her Mrs. Fang? My sister did, or nearly did, marry Tiger Fang. I'm not sure if he disappeared before or after the wedding, I wasn't invited.

"Can I take your order, Mr. McCloud?"

I grin. There's Fox. "Yes, you can." I turn to her. "But first, take a seat."

She gets a slightly worried face. "I'm not suppose to sir. Mr. Fang's right over there."

"I'm telling you to. It's not a date. It's a costumer asking an employee to sit, and the costumer's always right."

"Well… I suppose so…" She sits opposite of me. "Have you figured anything out yet?"

"I have suspects."

"Really?"

"Yea, Princess, and you're near the top."

"Me? Why would I steal it? My family needs it to survive."

"Maybe to give this club a bad rep. You have to work here for money, and yet when you came to my office you had a bundle of money."

"That was from the bank. I told my mama and papa what happened and they said to take out a loan for a detective. It's more important then my mama's health." She looked around and lowered her voice. "It's what keeps us alive. Without it we all may die out. The Red's have keep it safe for centuries, and only the eldest daughter can give it's power to it.

There are four different amulets. A tanzanite Fox, a sapphire Wolf, a diamond Panther, and a Zircon Snake. We know who have them all. The Red's had the Fox, the Fang's have the Wolf, the McCloud's have the Panther and the Dove's have the Snake… which is really funny because the eldest daughter is terrified of snakes, and she has to keep it."

"The Fang's have one? They don't have any daughters in that family."

She smiled that sarcastic smile again. "If by chance there is no eldest daughter then the child in the middle would take charge, for they will not be treated as the oldest, nor the youngest. They will be their own, independent person, and Tiger Fang disappeared, so did the Wolf amulet. I think they're all connected somehow."

"You said the McCloud's. We don't have one."

"I said the eldest daughter too, didn't I? Different families have different beliefs. In mine, we worship the Fox, in yours it's keep secrete. If you find out about it, and tell your sister to show it to you, then she has to. It's law. If she doesn't then evil things will start to happen to her."

Then there was pounding, and yelling. "GET OUT! GET OUT!!! I MEAN NOW, TAICHI!!!!!!!!"

Tai blinked. "That's not right…"

"Tai!!"

"Dad? What?!"

"You've been in there for thirty minutes! I need to take a shower, out, now!"

He growled and stood. After hitting the save button he snapped it shut and went to the door. He opened it and looked at his father. I'm working on not failing a class."

"I'm working on not stinking."

With a sigh Tai walked out of the bathroom, down the stairs and outside. "It seems peaceful enough here…" He sat down on the steps of the house, opened the laptop and began to type again, after deleting his father's words.

"What types of evil things?"

"She'll lose her true love… which I suppose she might have already have…but that's just an example. Her health could fall, her beauty become a memory, no longer existing… a lot of different things could happen."

"Why wasn't I told?"

"I don't know. It's not like I keep in touch with other's families."

I nod. "I see…"

She stood. "Is there anything I can get you?.. I really have to get to work."

"Okay… I'd like a Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich… with a glass of Code Red."

She grinned at me. "Sounds yummy." She runs her fingers through my hair for a moment, then turns and skips off.

I stand. It's time to have a little chat with Wolf. I take my trench off and lay it on the chair to mark my table, then I walk to him.

"Wolf, we need to talk."

He looked up at me, his icy eyes dark. "What ya want, Drag?"

"Don't call me Drag. You lost that right along time ago."

He folded his arms. "Why aren't we friends anymore, Drag?"

"I'm a detective… you're a mobster. I don't hang with mobsters."

"Aww, it's just a family business."

"You could stop."

"Yeah, I could, but why should I? To be a traitor like Tiger?"

Butterfly looked away. "Don't call him a traitor."

"He left you, didn't he?"

She stared at him. "I don't think it was purposely."

I stare at her. "I heard about it."

She looked at me. "Heard about what?"

"The Panther."

"Oh… how'd you hear of it?"

"That's why I'm here. Someone stole one of the four amulets."

"That makes two of them then… I guess the last two better be well protected."

"That's the funny thing. I've never heard of the Doves before."

"Don't come here much, do you?"

A voice interrupted the conversation. The voice was scratchy and annoying. "Is everyone having a good time?"

"Is that…?"

"Nah. That's Venus Trap. A real monster. She's workin' here cause she owes me money. I think she'd pay it better by not workin' here. Her voice is killin' my ears." Wolf told me.

"So, I heard of this gal the other day. I'm thinkin' what kind of person is this?" The girl was saying, "Her name's Mourning? I couldn't get over that! What, does she sings songs about sad things? Or just sad dances or what? But I met her a few hours ago. Pretty woman. Now, put your hands together for Miss Mourning Dove!"

Music began to play. The girl with greasy looking hair disappeared backstage. A woman with long beautiful purple hair came onstage. The music is different then I've heard.

"When I gave you my heart

It was not what you wanted

Now the walls say your name

And the pictures are haunted" Her voice is soft and full of attitude, but sorrowfully. She came from the stage. She had a strong, loud voice, and a body to kill for. "Does my ring burn your finger

Did my love weigh you down

Was a promise too much

To keep around"

She sits on one of the tables, teasing the guy. The woman he's with looks annoyed at the man, and envious of Miss Dove. Dove runs her finger down the man's check and gets close to his face. "I remember your words

And I can't keep from crying

I could never believe

That your kisses were lying" She moved from that table and continued walking around. The black dress sparkled as certain lights hit it, and it turned blue or purple in certain places. Not a normal dress.

"Was there something from the past

Buried in a shallow grave

Did you think that it was too far gone to save" She gets back up on the stage. She's a good actress, or she truly feels sad. I'm not sure which.

"Please tell me baby

Please tell me now

You say that I should just go on

Now please tell me how" As she moved it looked like she was walking on a cloud.

I look to Wolf. "Where'd you get her from?"

He glared at me. "Don't think bout it, Drag. She's my fiancé."

"Someone actually gonna marry you? She know bout your… _business_?"

"Yes."

I look back to her.

"Now it's just me and the night

And I'm so broken hearted I just wait in the dark here

For my dearly departed"

"Hey!!" Tai shouts, as water drips from his head. "Who threw that balloon?!"

There's a laugh from nearby. "Gotcha, Tai!" Says a voice Tai knows only too well.

"Ant, I'm busy! I don't have time to fight!"

"I didn't when you drenched me with the hose either." He stands in front of Tai, arms folded, grin planted firmly in place. "I'm gettin' revenge. What's ya writin' anyways?"

"A mystery."

"You're writin' a mystery?" Ant jumped up on the steps and read the page he was on. "What kind of Bond base is that?"

"It's not a Bond."

Ant's eyes grew wide and he stared at Tai. "Not a Bond? You're not writin' a Bond?" He tumbled down the steps. "My God!"

"What's so surprising?"

"You're obsessed with Bond! I've seen you draw perfect Sean Connery Bonds!"

"Connery was the best one… the original. Original always rules out."

"Sure, Tai… though personally, I like Dracula. Bond kinda… well, bores me."

"Bond boring? You're jokin'… gotta be."

"Sorry, dude… So, you wanna play?"

"I can't. I gotta finish this story for my class."

Ant sighed. "I finished my homework…Bookkeeping? Of all things, you people had to put me in a bookkeeping class?"

Tai shrugged. "Can I finish my story?"

"Sorry… but me, Matt, Cody, and Davis are havin' a water war… We asked your Dad if we could use your yard and he said yeah."

"Fine, I'll go and work on it in your house."

"Go ahead. No one's home… but I think the ghost is in a grumpy mood."

"Yeah, right." He stood and started crossing the yard to the Ishida's. He stood on the porch, staring at the door. He knew of the ghost that apparently haunted the Ishida's house. He'd never seen it or heard it. He reached out to open the door, which flung open and nearly hit him.

"Sorry, Tai!" Matt yelled, running past him, carrying a large water gun.

"It's… okay?"

"Watch out for the ghost!" Matt warned. "It's feelin' mean!" He jumped off the porch and started trying to hit Ant with a beam of water.

Tai sighed and went inside. A chill filled his bones. He closed his eyes for a moment. After looking around he went to the living room and sat on the couch. With a sigh he started typing.

"Does my ring burn your finger

Did my love weigh you down

Was a promise too much

To keep around"

The crowd breaks lose in applause and whistles. I can see why. She's really… I want to say sexy, and has a beautiful voice. If she's the type of person to settle down with I'm not sure. She looks like she could be a challenge for even the best of men.

Wolf grinned. "Until me, her hobby was taking men and breaking them, turning them into crying little baby boys. I've trained her."

"I doubt you could train her."

Fox came to me. "Sir, your order is at your table… or would you like me to bring it to you?"

"Thank you. I'll get to it in a minute."

"Yes sir." She turned and walked off. I couldn't help but watch her every curve as she walked away.

I glance around the table. "I want you all to know that you're suspects in this case."

Miss Dove comes to us and puts her arms around Wolf. "Hello." Her voice was soft and seductive. I'm sure it's not a purposeful thing.

"Hi."

"I'm Mourning Dove. It's nice to meet you…?"

"Dragon McCloud." I point toward Butterfly. "Her brother."

"Pleasure."

I saw it glint. If was a pale blue snake posed ready to strike at any moment. "Are you one of the protectors of the four-"

"Yes. I have the Zircon snake. Hate it…"

"Why? I thought it'd be a privilege."

"It would be… except I'm terrified of snakes and always have been."

"Oh… Can I…?"

"Oh, sure." She took the cord and held it up. It sparkled in the light. She lifted it over her head and hands it to me. "Be careful with it."

I take it and stare at it. It's very pretty. "Thanks." I hand it back to her. "I hope it doesn't disappear as well… and you do know how weird Mourning Fang sounds, right?"

"I don't care. Why should a name matter when love's involved?"

"You're song…"

"The last person I truly cared for dumped me for a woman twice as rich and twice as old as me."

"How old are you?"

"You're getting awful personal."

"I'm going." I turn and walk off.

"GET OUT!!!"

Tai jumps. "I didn't…"

"Get out!!" jumps across the screen again. "GET OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Tai jumps up and runs. He slams the door open and jumps past the steps.

"Tai, you look like you just seen a ghost." Davis said, staring at him, water gun posed to hit.

"I saw ghost words."

Matt and Ant looked at each other, then to Tai. "We told ya, he's in a cruel mood."

"Screw this, I'm goin' to the park." He walked off.

Tai found a bench under a tree and sat. He opened the laptop and found the words of 'get out' gone. With a sigh he started typing again.

I sit at my table, where my sandwich has already been delivered. That annoying girl is talking again. "So I said, yeah, and you're Ted Kennedy!" She laughed. "I don't think he seen the sarcasm, but hey, no one's perfect!"

I eat my sandwich. After this I'll have to go to my office and figure this out.

Screams. They fill the air. Then a roar. People come running from the kitchens, white as sheets. Us in the restraint and entertaining part stare. I stand and grab one of the screaming women. "What's wrong?"

"Tiger in the kitchen!" She yelled. "Tiger in the kitchen!" I let her go, and she runs.

I watch the swinging doors. There is no sound, no anything. Then the doors push open. A white tiger stands there. Something doesn't seem right. Why would a tiger wear sapphires?

He steps forward. Slowly he walks through the room, looking for something. He comes to me and stares up. He's wearing the Sapphire Wolf, and I only know one person with eyes that shade of blue.

He moves past me to the table Wolf sits at. I watch him stare at Roma. He looks almost hurt. He rubs against her legs, like a big domestic cat, then jumps onto the table and gets face to face to Wolf.

The two stare into each others eyes. "I didn't think you could change forms."

The black stripes began to grow, covering his body, and the fur turned into hair that hung to the mid-back. Now a man wearing a black jacket and jeans was crouched on the table. "You'd be surprised what you can do when your life depends on it."

"You've said since you were a kid you were ready to die."

"That was before I fell in love with Butterfly."

I move to the happily united family. Note the sarcasm if you will. "I thought you were dead." Looking close I can see marks. They're on his hands, forehead and jacket.

"So did I." He said, turning those frozen sapphire eyes to me. "But I lived. I honestly don't believe in the family _business_. It's not even a business." Though his voice was harsh, it was edged in laughter. He looked back to Wolf. "Kill the business. People want you dead."

"I know. I've known it for awhile."

"These people are worse. They kill in cruel and unusual ways. They start with the ones you care for. They lock you up for days, never letting you out to see anything, but feed you. Then that stops. I'm not sure after that, but they want you."

"I'm not closing the business."

"When tiger verses wolf who wins? The tiger, true ruler of the jungle, or the wolf, terror of the forest? I don't want you hurt, Wolf, because they'll only start with you. It goes down the line. They'll take Miss Dove there and make you watch as they torture her, nearly killing her from beatings. So if you don't want to protect yourself at least think of everyone else. Break relations, disappear."

"I'm ready for them, brother."

Bear looked at Tiger. "You didn't die?"

Tiger moved to Bear quickly staring him in the face. "I know what you've been doing." He whispered something to Bear. I don't know what it is, but Bear pales to the color of his brothers and backs up.

"How did you-"

Tiger jumps off the tables. "I know things. I'm good, not stupid." He turned and looked to me. "Solve this, I know you can. It's right under your nose, you just have to look." He went to Butterfly and embraced her. "I love you B… but you know as well as me, if I stay Wolf's gonna keep up business and I can't stand all of it."

She stroked his hair. "I love you…"

He gave her a brief kiss, let her go and stood. He swept the room with a glance. "This is the only part of business I don't mind." With that he began to change. His hair started to turn white and cover his body, steaks of black stripes running through it. In a matter of moments the tiger stood. After giving Butterfly a longing look he ran out of the club.

Tai grinned, happy with his story. "Now… all I need is a way to end it… who stole it? Who tried to have Tiger kil- I know! I know how to end it!"

I study the scene. Tiger wants me to solve this. So I was wrong. Wolf didn't want Tiger dead. Wolf just wanted Tiger to change forms. Obviously he knew of the Sapphire Wolf, and wasn't jealous. Miss Dove. There's just something… different about her, and Butterfly! But… why would she want Tiger dead? And she'd know about the amulets. But there is Bear… but Bear never did anything to hurt anyone. Out of the whole family he's the most good one. This is difficult.

I examine the room carefully, having Miss Red show me the place she'd awoke and the fox was missing.

"See, I was so tired last night that I just dropped off here… but when I woke up my Fox was gone." She had her hair tied to the back of her head, so hair wouldn't fall into anything.

I pull out a magnifying glass and look around. Just a small clue can set off an entire case. I pick off a hair from the couch. "You said you'd fallen asleep here?"

"Yes."

I study the hair. This is _definitely_ a clue. "Was there any kind of scent when you woke?'

"Yes, actually there was. I smelled some kind of… cologne. I'm sure it's a very rare scent… I only smelled it one other time in my life, and that was when I was in for my interview."

"Did Wolf interview you?"

"No… but it was a Fang." She smiled. "He seemed very interested in the Fox… he said his family had one too… but the holder disappeared. He gave me a weird sort of smile and told me I was hired."

"Sounds innocent enough." I had what I needed. Fang did it. It doesn't matter what anyone says, he did it. Wolf is going to have my head on a silver platter, but he did it.

Tai jumped, snapping the laptop shut. Something had clamped onto his leg. He stared down. He was staring down into one green eye, and one violet one. It was the biggest head that went to the biggest dog _anyone_ had ever seen. He let his eyes wonder up, where he saw his red-headed sister clinging onto the dog's fur.

"Thank you _SOOOO_ much for being there, Tai!! I went outside and Ajax just ran through my legs and carried me away!"

Ant showed up a few seconds later panting and carrying a leather and chained leash.. "I'm… _so_… sorry, Ro. He must have broke his chain again!"

"It's okay, no harm done."

Matt, Cody, and Davis show up. "Did he break my squirt gun?" Davis asked. "Did he?"

Roma climbed down and picked up Davis' squirt gun. "No…" She held it gingerly. "But it's a little drolly now."

"Awww man…" Davis said, taking it.

"Ant, Ajax has escaped three times this week! And it's only Wednesday!" Matt pointed out.

"I call him Ajax the Great for a reason ya know! He's huge and strong!"

"He's as big as a pony!"

"He's still got my leg!" Tai shouted.

"Sorry!" Ant knelt down and took the dog's head in his hands. "Let go, A-bud." The dog listened, letting Tai's leg go.

Roma read over Tai's shoulder. "You're story sounds good, Tai. Can I read it?"

"Maybe when it's done…"

Ant mounted Ajax and hooked the leash to his huge collar. "You guys can go back and finish the war… I'm gonna take Ajax for a walk…"

"You really should have him put down."

"Or trained." Cody chimed in. "Take him to obedience school."

"I did. He was first in his class, he just keeps getting off his chain. He's a big-"

"Huge."

"dog, and people are a little… intimidated by him."

"Hey, I'll have my story finished in a little bit, alright? If you all go away I can finish it, then you can read it. I have… most of you in it in some form."

Ant sighed. "I hate bein' the bad guy!"

"Oh, but I love bein' the good dude." Matt grinned.

Tai smiled. "Sorry, Ant, but you make such a good bad guy. You're just so… multidimensional. Can't you even do the Joker laugh?"

"…. Yes, I can." Ant rode to Roma and put his arm around Roma and pulled her to him. "And she's my Harley… but I really care for her."

Tai smiled. "I know."

Roma leaned into Ant. "I don't know if I really care for bein' called Harley."

"It's just a figure of speech, Twinkle Toes."

"Can I finish my story? I'm running out of places to hide here." He stood and started away.

He ended up at the local hangout. Mert's Place. It was an upbeat spot, where people liked to chill out. He found an empty table and sat. "Let me see… What's happened in the old mysteries?.. Oh! I know!"

They're all here, in one room. Wolf, sucking on his trademark sucker, Butterfly, looking almost sad, Mourning Dove, sitting in a chair, utterly confused about being here, Bear, looking cool and relaxed, and Fox, sitting on the floor wondering what's going on.

"I've called you all here because one of you is a thief and an attempted murderer."

"Who?" Wolf asked, sounding less then amused. "Whose an attempted murderer? Murder is wrong, no matter how it's put."

"Wolf, you're a mobster."

"Yeah, but I ain't no dissin' murderer. That ain't in the family business, just stealing, gambling and ripping people off."

"Someone tried to have Tiger murdered. If you'd looked closely you would have seen that their were cut marks on his hands, one about two and a half inches from his ear to his forehead, and that his beloved black jacket had a few slash marks through it. You know as well as I, he wouldn't let anything happen to it."

"Because I gave it to him…" Butterfly said.

"Bingo." I look at the suspects.

"So, who did it, or should I just tell you all?"

Wolf stood. "I didn't do. Why would I kill my brother?"

I look to him. "Simple, he wouldn't bother with your family business. He thought it was disgusting and sick. Now, take a seat."

He dealt me a glare that would make a slug run off at super speeds, but sat with his arms folded.

"I didn't know Tiger very well." Miss Dove said quietly.

"True, but you did know that he was the best at everything. He made Wolf nervous, and you didn't want anything to happen to Wolf. If Tiger wanted he could close down the business. So why not kill him?"

"I didn't…" She stared at the floor.

"Butterfly, wasn't it rumor that Tiger was seeing another gal?" She nodded, tears in her eyes. "You wanted to make sure he never would again, so you tried to kill him."

"I loved him!" She shouted.

"Don't you know it's rude to make ladies cry?" Wolf asked. "Even if they are your sister?"

I regard him with a look and move on. "Miss Red… You just got here not to long ago, correct?"

She nods. "True."

"Had you ever meet Tiger Fang?"

"No…"

I look to Wolf. "Has she?"

"Not to my knowledge. She came here a week after he disappeared."

"Yes… a week. Coincidence? Could be, or maybe she was sent here to watch everyone, and make sure no one figured out who had him murdered. Maybe she called me here to watch me as well."

"I would never!"

"Then there's Bear." I turn to him. "No major crimes, except being related to Wolf… But, Bear wanted to be the leader of the Fang family. Eliminate one at a time and he could."

"Why would I do something so… cruel? Murder isn't in the business."

I smile and move to the center of the room. "Only one of you stole anything, and the same one tried to get Tiger murdered. After doing a little talking to some people on a phone I figured out that the four pendants were split to different families for a reason. If any one person, or family, had them all then terrible things could happen. That family would rule the world, but if one person posses them all, then the world could be destroyed. Any wishes could come true… someone could rebuild the earth from scratch, to their liking. First they tried for the wolf pendant. Tiger escaped with his life and the sapphire, this angered the person. Then Wolf started to date someone else with a pendant. Wonderful, that made it easier, but Tiger had already been dating someone. That person's next. Then, miss Red came. She had another. All four are here and _he_ wants them all…even if he has to kill for them."

"So… Butterfly, Fox and I are all in danger?" Mourning asked.

I nod. "Very much in danger."

"There's only three he's." Bear points out. "My brother, you and me."

"Correct. Three males are here, one of us is a thief and attempted murderer."

"Who is it?" Wolf asks.

I look to him. "You should know."

"You aren't suggesting I did it!"

"No, I'm not. I know who did. It wasn't me, because the culprit had blond hair. Blond, smooth, _ungelled_ hair."

"The only one in here like that is Bear."

"Exactly. Bear was _always_ the good one, while Tiger and Wolf always ran around getting in trouble. He was often overlooked. He knew about Tiger's gift of the Sapphire wolf, and it annoyed him. He was the good one, while the worst behaved got it. He realized if he could get all four of the pendants he could start it all over again, rebuild this world. He could make sure he got the pendant instead of his stupid brother. After he realized that Mourning had one he wanted that one, he needed it, so he tried, several times. A few times he tried to seduce her, but it failed because she only cared for Wolf. He tried before the show tonight, but it failed again. On the other hand, he did get the Fox, which I'm willing to bet he has with him right now." I turn to him. "Am I right?"

He glares at me. "You can't prove any of it." He stands.

"But I can. You were disturbed by what Tiger had told you tonight, why else would you be disturbed unless he knew it was you that tried to kill him, and it was your hair that I found where the Fox was stolen, and it was you who interviewed Fox and gave her a job."

He pulled a gun from the waist band of his pants. He searched frantically with his eyes for a place to hide, or get away. Suddenly he fired, barely missing me and hitting the switch box. The lights flickered out, nothing could be heard, but running footsteps.

Then there was a scream, followed by a gasp. Then there were running feet again.

"Wolf, is there a flashlight here?"

"A flashlight?! Only in the kitchen. Who screamed?" No one answered. The lights flickered back on. "Good thing I ordered that generator…"

Mourning was sitting on the floor, with her hand where the Snake should be. "He took it…" She stared up at his. "He nearly strangled me trying to get it…"

Butterfly was pale as she stared into space. "He got the panther, and he said he already had the wolf… and that he'd killed my Tiger about forty minutes ago."

I ran where the footsteps had led, until I reached the outside. There's no telling where he went out here. I look around, but don't see Bear anywhere. I growl and walk back inside. "I lost him." I tell everyone.

Mourning was in a chair now, looking near tears, while Butterfly was looking worried and confused. I sit on the couch, next to Fox. "He doesn't have them all." She says out of no where.

"How do you know?"

"The Wolf… I don't know Tiger, but he seems resourceful, and no one would kill a tiger in the city and live to tell of it… besides, it would be all over the news."

"Point…"

Wolf walks back in, holding two glasses. He smiles faintly and sits the glasses in front of the two girls. "Drink this…"

The two ask no questions and drink. Then there's a growl, followed up by a "I'm going!"

A few seconds later Bear walked in, followed by the white tiger, whose holding two of the jeweled pendants. He sits in a chair. The tiger sits the pendants on the ground and changes. Tiger crouches there. He picks them up and stands. "I can't believe Bear could stoop that low…" He looks to me. "Thank you." He moves to the girls and sits the snake in front of Mourning. "Here." He goes to Butterfly and stares at her.

She reaches out and grabs him, yanking him down to her. He wraps his arms around her. "I love you, Twinkle Toes."

"I love you too."

He pulls away from her and slips the pedant over her head. "If we merry… then all the pendants but one will be in the same family… that is… if Wolf and Mourning merry too."

"There's still one that won't be."

He puts his arms around her body gingerly, as if afraid he'd break her. "Good."

Fox stood. "Where's mine?" She looked scared.

Tiger looked at her. "I honestly don't know. I didn't look over him, I just took what was in his hands."

I go to Bear. "Hand it over."

"No."

"You only have one. It won't do you any good."

"Yes it will. Each has a different power. The Fox controls the peace and destruction of earth." He smiled.

"I want that Fox." Miss Red said walking towards him.

"You'll have to fight me for it."

She showed her teeth, angry at Bear. Then she started to change. Her mouth grew into a muzzle and her hair grew into fur and covered her body. She shrunk, until only a fox stood, with its teeth showing. She ran up his leg and started ruffling through his pockets. He grabbed at her.

I pulled a gun and put it to his forehead. "Don't touch her."

Finally she stopped and ran out. She sat on the floor, tossed the pendant into the air and caught in on her neck. She stood and started walking out. I went to her and picked her up. "Where you going?"

I went and sat her on the couch. She changed back to human. "I'm going home… my Mama needs me, and I have enough money to help now…"

A man ran in. He was shorter then me, with red hair and green eyes. "Foxy," He said. He stared at her sadly. "You're Mother's dead. She said that Fox was returned and died."

She looked like her world was falling apart. She reached around me and cried.

XXXXXX

I went to the funeral with Fox. She was grateful for it. I found out that the man was her father, and he could turn into a Greyhound, and only lived a few blocks away. Not long after that we started going out. I finally figured out that there's more to life then a paycheck and being enemies with your former best friend.

**__**

The End

Tai grinned. He finished his story, he was happy about it, and he loved it. He stood and went home. He found everyone at his house, watching T.V. He raised an eyebrow. "Afraid to go home?" he asked the Ishida's.

All three of them looked at him and answered, "Yes. Our Mom's mad and scared our ghost."

"That's bad."

"Yes."

"Hey, I finished my story…"

"Cool." Came six voices.

"Yes, very cool."

"Read it to us." Sin told him.

Tai sighed and read it.

When he finished everyone was surprised. "I was a good guy?" Ant asked. "You made me a good guy instead of an evil one?" He stared at Tai in shock, which Tai tallied him in his head.

"I was a main!" TK said happily. "A main… wait! I was the main bad guy!" He gave Tai a look that can't be described.

"I sucked a sucker through like… most of it." Matt gave Tai the same look. Tai added two to his list.

"Butterfly?" Roma asked. "You named me butterfly!" She gave him another look.

"I couldn't think of anything else!"

"I thought it was good." Sam told him.

"Thank you." He said.

**__**

The End

(Really)


	2. Ship Hunt

**__**

Ship Hunt!

He stood to his full height and laughed softly. He was native here, most of us weren't. Personally I didn't trust this guy. Staruis Starolin was his name, Star for short. I guess in an odd way, he could be handsome, but who am I to judge? I'm a guy. I know the girls with us drool over him. His hair was so black there's no word for it, darker then jet black, and he has clear icy, sapphire eyes.

Like most people on this planet he was very tall and had long hair, as did the girl beside him. Somehow the two possessed an amazing attraction to other people. I was attracted to the girl myself. She was beautiful. Long purple hair and eyes like emeralds. She had a body to die for. On earth she'd probably be a super model. Her name was Loveantina Lovoqist, Love for short.

"How long do you plan on staying?" Star asked.

"We didn't plan on landing." My friend told them. He's pretty tall with blond hair. He's considered very cool by a lot of people. His name's Duke Arlenton.

"Really?" Love said, batting her pretty eyes. She wrapped her arms around Duke's arm. "I'm really happy you did." She leaned against him.

He smiled. "I have to admit… I am happy about it."

"Good."

Star laughed. It was a rich sound. I'm sure it made all the girls go weak, that is except for Love. For some reason, their attraction didn't effect their own kind.

Tai grinned. This was his first Sci-Fi story ever. His Creative Writing class was helping him. It challenged him to think a little bit differently. Now he knew how Ant could come up with weird stories right off the top of his head.

"Are you writing _again_?" Mrs. Yagami asked.

He smiled at her. "Yeah. It's for class."

"How nice… do you want your dinner now or later?"

He thought hard. "Later… I really want to finish this."

"Well, keep it up!" She said with a grin. Then she went to the kitchen. Tai smiled and went back to typing.

We were going to a city to get a ship. Since this odd planet is mostly forest and jungle we keep moving. We don't know what kind of creatures are here, and from how we heard it, we don't want to know.

Love suddenly stopped. Her knee length skirt blew in the wind, her hair twisted and twirled. She let Duke go and moved to Star. Star stood perfectly still. His loose shirt and braid flittered slightly in the wind.

"Dai?"

"Hai."

"Din hei tew?"

Love nodded. "Hai."

I don't know much about this language, but I do know some Japanese, and if I translate right 'hai' means yes.

"What's wrong?" Li asked. Sure, Li's usually a guy's name, but she prefers to be called Li. Her real name is Lisa Bell Turner. She's very pretty. Shoulder length, blood colored hair. Sure, she's not the tallest person in the world, but she's the right height for me. She's nearly a tom boy… armed with a laptop and switch blade at all times.

"They're coming." They said together. They reached into the air and pulled out two long swords. Love's has the head of a dragon with orange jewels for eyes for a hilt. The long ears of the dragon wrapped around her arm so she wouldn't lose it during battle. The hilt of Star's was straight, with a sun made of jewels sitting on the top, but the blade was twirled, like a unicorn horn. "Get ready."

Star and Love are warriors from this world. Unlike with Earth you don't just join the armed forces here. You know what you are when you're born. If you can pull a weapon, you're a warrior. I suppose if you can pull out a needle you'll be an acupuncturist. I'd _hate_ to be in that business. Yes… needles terrify me for some reason.

They took their fighting stance. "I hope you can fight." Love told us.

Star nodded. "If any of you can't, you're in trouble. They go for non-fighters… I suppose it's less fight, and not as tough."

Li pulled out her switch blade and gbvc m

Tai started laughing. He couldn't stop. Someone was tickling him. "Stop!" he gasped. He squirmed, and finally fell out of his chair.

She grinned down at him, her dark red ponytail falling to the side of her face. "Hi, Taichi."

He stared at her. "Don't do that Sam." He said, getting to his feet.

"But it was so _hard_…"

"It couldn't have been that easy." He told her, rolling his eyes.

She sat on the floor by him. "But it was. You were so absorbed in your typing you didn't notice. I've been standing there for nearly five minutes already." She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. "You're really ugly when get that concentrated." She snuggled him looking innocent, staring up to his face.

He pondered that phrase. "Are you trying to say I'm too cute when I concentrate?"

She blinked. "Isn't that what I said?" Her violet eyes sparkled with confusion.

"You said…" He sighed, remembering that she spoke backwards 95% of the time and hardly ever caught herself. "Yes."

She kissed his strong jaw line. "What are you writing about now?"

"People from another planet." He pulled her tight. "You're in it, you know."

"Really?" She grinned. "So surprised."

"Can I get back to writing? I haven't even saved yet."

She nodded. "Would you like to use my laptop again?"

"If you'll let me."

"Sure. It's on your table over there."

"Thank you." He peeled her off gently and got to his knees. "No tickle till after I save, okay?"

She touched his back. "If you say so…" her touch was soft and made his whole body ache for more.

He popped in his disk and hit the save button. "Do you hate me?"

She wrapped her arms around him. "Of course."

He came back to the floor and sat. "You don't want me to write do you?"

She sighed. "I just don't want you to be a writer… you'll lock yourself up and hardly ever come out… of course, if I make it to my job I'll have long hours too."

He pulled her into him. "I do enjoy writing though."

She laughed. "I'll make you a deal."

"Yes?"

"If you become a writer and I become a doctor, you can write all day while I'm at the hospital, but I get you all night." then she kissed his cheek lightly, almost tempting.

"Deal." After kissing her forehead he pulled from her gently. "Now, let me finish writing, okay?"

She sighed and stood. "Okay, and when you sell your first book at 19 or 20 I really want my engagement ring."

"You want to get married-"

"When I'm 17, but I can wait till I'm 19."

"That's awfully… young, isn't it?"

"Yep. I plan on getting married young, getting divorced then either remarrying the same guy, or marrying one rich son of a bitch."

"I hope not. I'm hoping to be marrying you very soon."

"Become very rich and I will never leave you. Now, get back to writing. I'll leave my laptop." After giving him one last grin she left.

He sighed and got back in his chair. "Now… where'd I…"

got into her fighting pose. Duke put one hand out and got into a tae kwan do stance. Nikki put her fists up. She's my cousin and she's a master boxer. I guess the only one that's not a master of something is me… well, master at a professional thing. I'm an awesome street fighter however.

Something rustled up above. All our heads shot up.

"Don't look up!" Star shouted.

"We cant' afford not to!" Love yelled.

The two gave each other a slight glare, then sighed. "You're right." Both said.

"Duke, look up."

"Li, look to the east."

"Nikki, look west."

"Shawn, look to the north."

"Where do you to look?"

"Around." They said in unison. They stared at each other. "You stay and protect."

Love dealt him a glare that would a make skunk feel bad for stinking. "I'm the superior officer. You stay."

Star bared his teeth in obvious displeasure. "Yes, Chief."

"That's what I thought. You watch the south, and most of the surrounding area."

"Yes, Chief."

Can you imagine a tall, slim, and absolutely beautiful, fragile looking woman being much higher then a Latinate? Well, as far as I can tell, Love is about two spots from being overall commander, and Star is four spots under her. There could be some serious jealousy issues there.

She cast her eyes to the rest of us. "You aren't under my authorization, but I recommend if you want to live and the Xyniotes attack listen to Star."

I think the tone of her words took Star by surprise too. This was the first time I heard her say something that wasn't soft and seductive. Her words were hard, unbreakable and demanding. She looked to Duke. "You especially."

She took her sword in both hands and moved silently. We all looked to Star, what choice did we have?

He seemed almost overwhelmed. He gathered himself quickly. "Xyn's are… complex. They aren't the most quiet of creatures, so that gives us the advantage. On the other hand there's a couple of different types of Xyns. There's water Xyn, ground bound, tree swingers, cave dwellers, and volcanic stranded. Thankfully, they're deaf… but there's only two ways to kill them until they die naturally. One, destroy their hearts, two chop up their brains."

"So take off their heads and we win."

He laughed again. "Taking off their heads won't do a thing. They'll just try to kill you without a head… or they'll hunt their head down, stick it under their arm and get you. Either way, take out the brain or heart we win."

"So, aim for the chest and head."

"Chest and head?" he chuckled softly. "Sure, if you wanna hit six inches of solid bone. Their brain is… around where your stomach is, and their heart is in their… heads, you call it?"

"Where our brains are?" Nikki asked. He nodded. "Yeah, head."

The noise came again, louder. "Take your places." He held the blade out and looked forward. "Careful, some of them can go-"

"Help!!!!" Nikki shrieked.

He spun around. "invisible." He leaped to her side, holding both ends of his sword. It met something just above her head. He pulled it tight, until something popped off. A head rolled onto the ground. It's face was surprised and its violet eyes were blinking in surprise. "Some one get it and take out the heart!" He struggled, trying to get the lean body from Nikki.

Li scooped it up. For a fraction of a second she stared into its eyes. Then she threw it down and shoved her knife up its head, where the throat had been. Her hand went deep into it, she looked a little disgusted. Then she yanked out her hand out and the heart was still on it. She took her other hand and sliced it up.

The body in Star's hands went limp. He dropped it and shoved his sword into the ground. He looked at his hands, which were covered in an orange liquid.

Nikki smiled at him. "Thanks."

He looked at her and yanked his sword out of the ground. Pain shot across his face for an instant. "Don't thank me yet." He leaped straight up and landed in the trees. "If anything moves and you don't see Love wearing anything but what she was or silvery pink armor, kill it." He disappeared into the tree. Moments later a head fell down, followed closely by a body.

Li threw her switch blade. Something screamed. "I think we're about to get hit with the ground force." Her voice was slightly shaky. Then human-like creatures surrounded us. What made them almost not human was the fact they were on all fours, more like lean, hairless apes. I saw her smile. It was a smile I had never seen before. She was almost creepy as she reached into the sack around her shoulders. She pulled out five throwing knives. "Remember, aim for the stomach and the head… but don't forget the head is about six inches of solid bone."

She let two of the knives fly. One went straight up. The Xyns stared up at it. The other one hit one straight in the gut. She threw another and hit the same on almost in the same spot. It coughed then fell.

"Well, only about twenty to go."

"Can I borrow one of those?" Duke said, almost shyly. "I'm not into ripping heads off."

"Me either." Nikki said.

"I'm not strong enough to rip a head off." I admitted, though those knives terrified me.

She tossed each of us one gently. She pulled out more throwing knives. She turned back to our opponents. "Remember what we promised each other. My turn on the computer, sport."

Tai stopped typing. "People have got to stop doing that!" He looked at his dad.

"I'm sorry son, but I need to finish something up for work."

"Fine… let me save." He clicked the save button. After it saved he stood. "It's all yours… I'll just use Sammi's laptop." He started towards it.

"Tai."

"Yeah?"

"I'm impressed."

"With what?"

"Your grades. They've really went up since you started that writing class."

"Thanks… we have to keep at least a B average to stay in the class, and I really enjoy it."

"Good."

"Thanks." With a smile he picked up the laptop and went outside. He sat down on the steps, opened the laptop, then a typing program, stuck his disk in, opened his file, deleted the extra sentence and started typing.

We'll stay together, and protect as best we can, because we're best friends."

I remember that promise. We made it after our first adventure together. We all nearly got killed that time. Wow… years ago by now.

"Right." Duke and Nikki said.

Then the creatures jump us. I throw one off me and jump on it. I'm sure it looks wrong. I shove the knife deep in its stomach and split it open. Dear God… It looks awful in there. Their brain is in the middle. Gee, I wonder where their stomachs are.

Ah! No time to think about that! I plunge the knife into the brain, twist it and rip it out. I yank the brain off and stand. Already a lot of them are dead. Quite a few are coming from the trees to. They fall, lifelessly.

Love appears, seemingly from nowhere. She has on a pink chest plate that looks kind of silvery. She's still wearing that flowy skirt though. She also has on pink boots nearly to her knees. Her emeralds eyes are set for battle. She raises her sword high into the sky.

"Ai kness ja kwan ziar

Di Xyn yuz

Wiq ai chis Ryu Punal !" She shoved the sword into the ground. The ground began to shake. I watched as an _almost_ invisible energy spread through the area. All the Xyn's disintegrated as the energy went over them. When they were all gone the energy folded over itself and vanished back into the sword, leaving with one last bang, making everyone fall with a thud.

Love looked around. "Everyone okay?"

Star sat up and held his head. "I would have been better if you hadn't done that and made me fall out of a tree."

"Are you seriously injured?"

"No."

"Good. Duke, Li, Shawn, Nikki, are you okay?"

"Disgusted… but alive." Duke answered.

"Same here." Nikki said.

"I've had better days." I say plainly, dropping the knife to the ground.

"Li?" Love stares away from us. I turn to look, as does the others.

Li's sitting on the ground, holding the head of one of the creatures. Her face was vacant, like the lights were on, but everyone had went out to party. Love moved to her quickly. "Curse the tenth realm of Antpilveus!"

I move to Love and stare down at Li. "What's wrong with her?"

Love yanks the head from Li, who starts to fall back. I kneel down as quick as I can and catch her.

Love sits the head on the ground. "She stared into it's eyes." She held her sword in front of her and it shrunk down to a dagger. She knelt and began to cut into the skin of the head. "You never look into the eyes of a Xyniote. Dead or alive, unless it's properly skinned." She laid the skin out, then took her dagger and dug it into an eye and ripped it out, then she did it to the other. "This one wasn't destroyed, because Li had it… it _has_ her."

"What?"

"By staring into the eyes of a Xyniote you relive things you couldn't, or happy times."

"Isn't that good?"

"Sure, but with each memory, and new way of happening it takes over your mind. Every second you stare into their dead eyes you become their slave, even if it's dead."

"What happens if it's dead?"

"You sit and wait for a command… until you die." She stares into my eyes. "Only a mind so pure and kind, or totally empty can stare into it's eyes with no result."

"You can't have a clear mind."

"A child can look into it, because it doesn't know it's done anything wrong, even if it has done anything wrong. It's pure, with no regrets. If you've done something you know you shouldn't have then it has the power to take you… it also works if you're incredible intelligent."

"They're like this forever?"

"There's something to reverse the effects, but the most we can do right now is change her master. I told you all to listen to Star… just so something like this wouldn't happen." She looked back to Li.

"Star never mentioned that."

She looked up at me. "He didn't?" She turned to Star. "Come here, Commander."

Star followed the order quickly. "Yes, Chief?"

Love stood to her full height. "Commander Staruis Staolin, did you not mention that under any circumstances you are not to look into the eyes of a Xyniote?"

"I thought I had, Chief."

Her eyes took a tone too dark to be described. My skin crawled at just seeing it, I would have passed out if she had directed that look to me. "That's not an excuse. Thanks to your irresponsibility, one of our visitors is under the control of a Xyntiote!"

He put his foot back to take a step backwards, but stopped and stood as straight as he could. "I thought-"

"That's not good enough! Do you not remember your training, do I have to recommend you go back? Remember, I can make you go back to a Newbie. Do you want to have to fight your way back up to the spot you're in now?"

"No, Chief."

"I can't hear you."

"No Chief!"

"So Commander Star, I recommend you get your act together or get ready to fight again."

He stared at the ground. "Yes, Chief."

"Now, go and make sure there are no more Xyntiote. I recommend you do it quickly." He turned and ran. Love sighed and knelt back down. She held the skull up. "Beauty, isn't it? She was a young one." She turned it to her face and stared into its empty eye sockets. "Want it?"

"Won't it…"

Love grinned and moved the skull down. "Hurt anyone? No, it's harmless now." She tossed her dagger into the sky and it disappeared. "You can have it as a souvenir."

I nod. "Okay…" I sigh. "How do we change the master?"

"Someone she loves dearly must speak to her. Her mind will clamp onto the first person to speak with her. If it is not someone she loves, like this she will stay forever."

I stare at her. "Someone she deeply loves has to talk to her! How do we know who that is? What do you want us to do?"

She pushes back her hair. "Don't ever speak in that tone with me." She stares at me with dark eyes. "Have you ever wondered why my power doesn't work on you as well as it does Duke? You already love someone, and she loves you. A love that strong can't be broken by our magic. Talk to her."

I sigh and look to Li. "Fine, but it won't do that good." I put my arms around Li. "Li…." I hug her loosely. "come to me, Li…" I kiss her forehead. "Come on. Remember our promise… I want to protect you… forever. Let me."

She began to blink. "You." She stared at me with very emotional, yet empty eyes. I've never saw, or heard of anything like it.

He nods. "Me." I take her hands and pull her to her feet. "Will you let me? Let me take care of you…please."

She nods and wraps her arms around me. "Take care of me." She kisses my cheek. "I'll let you…"

I wrap my arms around her and look at Love. "I feel like I just stole Li of her soul…"

"You haven't. You're protecting it from Xyntiote. She'll listen and do anything you say for right now. When we get to the city I'll have a mystic lift the curse." she stares at me with serious eyes. "I will be watching you to make sure you don't take advantage of her."

I nod. "Never."

She gives me a strange look. "I'll be watching." Then she turned and went to Duke, her armor disappearing. "Are you okay, Dukey?"

He grins and wraps an arm around her. "I'm fine."

"Good."

"So now what, Tai? Ditching your girlfriend?"

Tai blinks and looks up. "I am not ditching Sammi. She had somewhere she had to go anyway," he tells the tall teen as he deletes his last sentence.

"Yeah, today." He says he blue eyes shinning. "But she's feeling ignored lately. So does Matt and Roma and…everyone else. It's okay to like your class, actually, it's pretty good to like your class, but all you do is write."

Tai sighs. "After I finish with this story I'll go out with her, okay?"

He laughs, his voice ringing. "Good. She's been hanging out with a guy. Real looker too… much 'hotter' then you."

"She what?"

He sits and pushes his hair back. "Been hangin' with a guy."

"Ant…"

He nods. "No joke, dude."

Tai grumbles. "I'll go out with her when I'm finished. She understands… she loves me."

"But she's lonely. Loneliness is a powerful thing. It can sometimes make you do things you don't mean." He grins and stands, pushing his hair back. "I'd watch her close if I were you, but that's just me."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll watch her. I'm almost finished."

We begin to walk again. Li follows close to me, her eyes still emotional and empty. I hold onto her hand to make sure that she doesn't slow down or we don't lose her. Love holds Duke's arm, almost like he was her personal teddy bear. He grins about it. Neither of us ever thought we'd even meet a girl as pretty as her, let alone one liking either of us. Nikki holds Star's hand. He seems half distant about it.

If nothing else this place really is beautiful. It's like a jungle, but these plants are strange even for jungle plants.

Love smiles. "We're almost there."

"What's the city called?"

"Don Lantis Moque. The Dream City."

"Wow…"

Star smiles. "It's an amazing place. The streets are made of… glass, I believe you call it."

Nikki smiles. "It sounds beautiful…"

Love grins. "It is. I can't wait to get back."

"Why? It's beauty couldn't compare to you."

She kisses his cheek gently. "You're sweet… but I want to see my papa. It's my hometown."

Duke blinks. "Papa?"

She nods. "Yep. He's a doc-tor… I think that's how you pronounce it."

He smiles. "You're a quick learner."

"Yes, I am." She takes his hand and pulls him. "We're almost there."

He laughs. "Really?"

"Yes." She pulls back some vines and stands by them, holding them back. "Don Lanta Moque."

We all stand by the vines and look at the city. It sparkles, sometimes pink, sometimes gold, and a little blue, like one big diamond.

After we all had one long sigh we began down the cliff. It wasn't very steep or hilly. It would be great to roll down it. Anyway, after what seemed like an eternity we reached the bottom and walked straight into the city. It was impossible to believe that it was made of pure glass, yet it must have been. When you looked into anything you could see your sparkling reflection. No wonder it's the 'Dream City'.

Li squeezed my hand. I pulled her to my side. "What's wrong?"

She smiles, but it's empty. "Nothing is wrong, Master."

It gives me the shutters and my stomach rolls. "Don't call me Master."

"Then what should I call you?"

I shrug. "Trev, like you always do."

"Trev…" She said the word almost as if it was a new word, like she'd never heard it before in her life. Really creepy. "If that's what you would like to be called."

I sigh. "Yes. Trev. Just, call me Trev."

Love sighs. "Star, you go talk to Peace. See if she might have an extra ship, or ship parts we could get. Nikki, Duke, you go with him. Trev, you and Li come with me. We have to find Kris. Best damn healer in the whole town." She starts off in one way, while Star goes the other. With a shrug we follow as we're told.

Until this moment I never realized how fast Love moved, of course this is clear ground. Clear and slick. I've already nearly fallen twice… but surprisingly Li hasn't. Usually she'd be cursing because she'd fallen at least once already, or at least came very close to it. I run to keep up with Love. She has really long legs…

"Trev…" Li says, distantly. "What are we looking for?"

"Kris… the healer."

She nods. "Okay. I'll watch for it."

Suddenly Love stops. "Kristipher Kristopherson. Healer and musican on the side. Hard to do around here. "She smiles up at a sign that reads '¡Kris!' "Come, follow me. He owes me a favor…" She shoves her hair back and walks in. We follow.

"Kris!!!!" She yells. "Phusa ess da nortra sunuce metron!"

A man appears, his hair white with age and his pale green eyes haunting me. "Aye psyic da."

She nods. "Yelt te poh de Trev o Li. Xyntiote los Li de tonta… ¿Da wup kan?"

What the hell is she talking about? This is worse then Greek. I bet I could understand Greek better then this! It sounds like a bunch of gibberish to me.

He nods and smiles at us. He comes to us and offers his hand. "I am Kris. I think I can help you." His voice is kind, but has a hint of something else.

I smile. "Thank you… de tonta neba… wop ni todun ke." Kris blinks in surprise, and Love begins to laugh, holding her stomach. Oh shit… what did I say?

"I am not that kind of man, boy."

"Trev, do yourself a favor and don't try to speak our langue until you've got a dic-tion-ary first."

I nod. "I'm sorry for whatever I said."

He nods. "I understand." He holds his hand out. "May I take the girl?"

"Can I follow?"

"No."

I sigh. "Go with him, Li. He's going to help you, okay?"

She stares at him with empty eyes, licking her lips hungrily. "Zum tun phonixiw."

He blinks in surprise. "I better work quickly. She's becoming like them rather fast." He grabs her hand and pulls her off.

I look to love. "Am I going to lose her?"

"I hope not." She jumps up onto the counter. "Kris is good, real good."

He came back out, holding an orange jewel. He hands in towards me. "Hold this and say 'Aye pryntc dis seal da pio que notra.'"

I take the jewel. "Will this help Li?"

"Yes."

"Aye pryntc dis seal da pio que notra." I gasp. Something in me stirs and I grasp the jewel tightly. A voilet mist jumps from inside of me and stands next to Kriss. She grins playfully, blue eyes sparkling. "Li?"

She laughs and turns. Her hair waves. It even smells like her. She walks away and through the door.

Kris smiles. "Seems like a nice girl."

I nod. "She is…"

Suddenly there's a scream. Li's scream. I step towards it, but Kris holds me back. "Don't interrupt. This is needed."

"Get away from me! No!!! Stay away! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" I hear something crash and then nothing.

"Now, you may go." Kris says letting me go.

Li walks out, pushing her hair back. "What the hell happened to me?"

I move to her quickly and wrap my arms around her. "Are you okay, Li?"

She pushes me off. This is the Li I know. "I'm fine you stupid excuse for a boy." She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me softly. "Thank you." She closes her eyes and lays her head on my shoulder.

I smile and stroke her hair. "Anything for you."

Star, Duke and Nikki comes in, Star and Nikki holding hands. Something's up.

Star jumps off the table and stands. "Something wrong, Star?"

"No, Chief. Nothing."

Duke wraps his arms around Love. "We got there and I realized, I don't want to go back. Over the time we've been here you've been flirting with me, and I've fallen for you and your flirting. I want to stay right here with you."

She blinks, her warrior looks vanishing completely. She wraps her arms around him. "Duke… I… You have to go back. Won't your family miss you?"

He shrugs. "Sure, but if I leave I'll regret it forever."

Nikki nods. "And I want to start a relationship with Star. See how far I can take it." She grins.

"You didn't get the ship?" I say, mad and annoyed.

Li wraps an arm around my waist. "Trev… it is nice here." She smiles up at me. "We could start a family… learn the langue maybe… it could be a wonderful life."

I sigh. "Great… you all want to stay? Are you sure?" Everyone nods. I shrug. "Home sweet home then."

I have a feeling that this is just the start of our adventures here. Will I record the rest of them? No, probably not, but they will happen. Nikki, Duke and I have always found them, and the adventures here will be very different then the ones from Earth.

__

The end

Tai sighs, not satisfied with his rushed ending, but worried that he was losing his Sam. He snaps the laptop closed and runs inside. He looks around quickly, sets the laptop down and runs back out.

He sees Ant practicing on his skateboard. "Yo, Rollerboy, where's my Sammi at?"

He never misses a beat as he does a spin and says "She's at cheerleading practice. I think her new boyfriend is on the soccer team, that's why she became a cheerleader. To see him more."

"What?!" He says as he starts running down the street. He hadn't done soccer try-outs this season. He'd become so engrossed with writing he hadn't remembered to.

Finally he reached the field, where he saw Sam wearing a cheerleading uniform, looking completely bored, sitting and watching everyone else. Sin, of course, was telling everyone else what to do. She did a jump, followed by a cartwheel. Tai went to the inside fence to watch quietly.

Sam stood and tossed her ponytail back. She jumped and followed it up with a cartwheel, which she ended by falling right after she stood. She threw the pom-poms and stood. "I quit! Only one person is worth this!! He's not even on the fucking team!" She turned away from Sin and stared straight at Tai.

Sin was saying something, but Tai couldn't hear it, he didn't want to hear it. Sam didn't hear it, she just stared at Tai. She stepped towards him. He stood straight and went to her. "Sammi, I'm sorry. If I ever start to ignore you again smack me… you deserve better then that." He tells her, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

She nods and wraps her arms around him. "You can count on it."

**__**

The End


	3. Voice of the Monsters

_Voice of the Monsters_

She watched quietly, unsure what to do. The creature watched her, its green eyes alert. It's tight orange skin moved with it, its claws hanging by his side, ready to strike at any given moment, if given a reason to.

The moon shone blue in the sky, cloaking the earth in a beautiful array of light. The dew on the autumn leaves shone in the dim light, the colors coming to life.

Her dark hair lay in a beautiful cloak down to her shoulders, framing an almost fragile looking face. Her deep violet eyes were wide in fear, which she rarely ever showed to begin with, her skin now pale and blotchy. "I'm… so… sor…sorry." She stuttered, the fear in her very real. "I shouldn't… it was wrong to…"

The creature sighed, obviously annoyed by the girl's presence. "I want you to stop it now!" It shou-

"Hold on…I didn't want that."

"Tai, I need you to stop typing now. I need the computer."

He looked up at his father. "But… Dad!"

"Taichi, I'm happy that you're finally interested in a class, but it's began to become an obsession with you."

"No it hasn't…I got the idea… it was becoming an obsession, but its not anymore… I nearly lost Sammi that way."

"I need it, Tai. I have some business I need to finish. Please."

He sighs and stands. "Got it. I'll go and find somewhere else to finish…" He clicked the save button. When it finished he went outside.

He saw Sam. She was doing one of her favorite activities, which was sitting under the tree in the Yagami yard and reading a very thick book. Tai had seen her sit under that tree and read the Bible once, though, he's not really sure she follows the ten commandments, War and Peace, Moby Dick, and other huge books, most of them classics. It never took her long. Not many more then six settings.

"Sammi!" He shouted.

She looked up and grinned at him. She was reading a book called 'Ivanhoe.' Tai had never heard of it. He'd ask her later. As usual her laptop lay not too far away from her. "Hi Tai… I thought you had a paper to do. Was I wrong?"

He slumped down next to her. "You're right… I just got kicked off the computer. Apparently I've been using it too much lately."

She sighs. "Do you like writing?"

"I really do. It's fun…besides, it keeps me out of trouble."

She ran a finger down his cheek slowly. "Maybe… but do you really like staying out of trouble?"

"Well… yeah. Sometimes."

She got big, pouty lips, which she usually tried not to play on too much, and puppy dog eyes, which she didn't use often either. "Even the type of trouble I want to get in with you?"

He felt his knees shake and was glad he was sitting. "What kind of trouble?"

She ran her finger down his neck slowly, making his body ache with sensation. "You have to ask? A few months ago that's all you wanted… but I wouldn't let you…"

"I… well… what can you expect? I had to do something to stop thinking about it…"

She stood onto her knees and leaned her body against his. "Understood…" She kissed him softly then pulled away and stood. "You may use my computer, but again, I want it back in perfect condition."

He smiled. "Thank you, Sammi."

She rolled her eyes. "Taichi…" She sighed. "I have a paper saved to it. Lose that paper and I will be _very_ ticked." With those words she put her book in her bag and walked off.

"I love you Sammi…" He said softly. With that he opened the laptop, pulled his disk from his pocket and popped it in.

She sat up. Sweat was dripping from her brow. She stared at the man on the couch. His ponytail laid by his face, like a tail. His dark skin was untouched by what she saw.

What she saw wasn't human, and she wanted to know what it was. She touched his cheek gently. "Have I gotten myself in too deep?" She wondered aloud. She had had enough for the day. She was glade this was her last patient for a few days. She wasn't taking a vacation, she had to analyze her findings. "Dreamer, awake." She said in a soft, yet demanding voice.

He opened his eyes, brown eyes drowzey. "Dr. Genso… What..."

She put a finger on his lips softly. "Shhh..." she smiled, dark eyes hiding all the haunting things she had seen. She stood and picked through a bowel of candy. She gave him banana taffy and herself a lemon drop. Anything sweet helped after these experiments, and she wanted to make sure her subjects stayed healthy. "Everything will be perfectly fine, Sean." She stroked his hair gently.

True, he was older then her by about a year, but she was the smarter of the two. She had dedicated her life to science and medicine, then one night she found a new form. It was a hard thing to do for the gifted, impossible for the stupid.

What to call it she wasn't sure… yet. She got into their dreams and dug through them. It was like being an archeologist or paleontologist of dreams. She dug through them and tried to figure them out, going on a theory. Her theory was that whatever you dream now is directly connected to your past dreams. She believed that whatever you dreamed in your past had something to do with what was happening to you now and would happen to you in the future. The government liked her theory and supported it, keeping a close watch on it.

On the research she had so far they had picked some of their best soldiers, based solely on their dreams. They had chosen the perfect missions for some of their soldiers. Dana warned that she wasn't sure they should have done it on so little information, but it came out successful. She didn't like them doing this with her research, but she chose not to complain as long as they paid for her project.

Another day had gone and vanished into nothingness to her. Her life had turned into other people's dreams. She couldn't tell her dreams from theirs anymore. She was glad that her dreams couldn't effect theirs.

As the night dragged on she reread her notes and files. Looking for something she could have missed. She had no doubt that it would take a life time for her to figure out everything in people's dreams. Everyone's dream was different. She didn't want to know why, she knew that. She wanted to know what she could do to help people once she acquired the knowledge.

In her papers were everything.

From symbols, to memories she saw they had, to just randomness in their minds. In just three days she would get new subjects, but she got the days until then off. Her favorite subject would be back in four. He had been there since the beginning. His dreams were the most vivid in her mind, and he was also the only one with anything telling her to stay out. She had to know what it was. It would eat at her until she knew.

"Dana…" She heard someone say. "Dana…"

"What is it?" She asked. She looked around, becoming aware that she wasn't in her office. She was in a pale blue box. Digital images were everywhere. She wanted to grab at her papers and write everything down. She'd have to do it when she got back. She touched one of the walls. "Amazing."

"Dana!" The voice came again. This time it was angry.

She spun and looked at it. She saw a pure black unicorn there, with blue eyes. It stepped towards her. "Dana, you have to stop what you're doing."

She narrowed her eyes. "Stop a scientific breakthrough! Are you kidding me? This could seriously throw my career into over drive! People would know who I am and probably come to get my help with their problems. I would be better then a psychiatrist!"

"You're disturbing our world!" the creature shouted. "It's falling apart. By breaking into dreams you're pulling a person apart!"

"I am not! All I'm doing is helping my people."

"You're hurting us!"

"What are you?"

"I'm a dream watcher. I watch over your dreams, which is why I was selected to talk to you. I am called Nami."

"So…that orange monster I saw-"

"Tai, I'm going to kill you!"

Tai jumped. "What the hell-!"

"Taichi Adrian Yagami! How could you? That was…"

"Ro, what did I do?"

"I had a date with Ant tonight. Now I have to cancel because you didn't call and tell the school that I couldn't come in today! I have to stay there for 4 hours! So instead of going out with Ant, we were going to La Shay's, I have to go to the school for four hours! So I have to cancel on Ant! I will kill you! All I asked was for you to make one phone call for me while I was out."

Tai clicked the save button when she began to rant. He was glad he had. He knew he would be running, it was not a good idea to get Roma mad, he knew from experience.

"Ro, I told you I had a story to write. I told you that I might not get around to it. Haven't you heard? If you want something done, do it yourself."

"I thought I could trust you!"

"Ro!" Came the familiar sound of Ant's laughing voice. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" His grin was playful and his eyes seemingly innocent. Of course, if you knew Ant you would know he was anything but innocent. He did a perfect round off and landed in front of her. "What's up?"

Roma sighed. "Ant… I…" She took his hands. "I can't go with you tonight."

His eyes fell to something as near sad as Ant ever got. "Why? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry… I'll make it up to you! I swear, I was never with another girl. You know I don't care much to date a pretty face, nice legs, big boobs and a good ass."

Tai raised an eyebrow. "How could you? And you claimed I did something wrong! I might have saved you."

Ant's gaze shifted to Tai, making him glad looks couldn't kill. "I'm not interested in that stuff. Before you and the rest of the gang met Sin she asked me out and I said no. Sin's a beautiful girl. If I could say no to her without being physically attracted I can say no to anything else."

Roma nodded. "I trust him. I've seen him turn down women twice as pretty as me."

Tai stood. "Whatever." He closed the computer and went down the street. He walked for a long time, until he got to his school. He looked around and nodded. "This place will do… no one comes here voluntarily ." He sat down, leaned up against a tree and began to type.

The unicorn like creature nodded. "Also a dream watcher. Agumon is his name. Everyone has their own…never before has anyone ever done what you're doing. That's why you're the only one that knows about us… though we are often misinterpreted as Spirit Guides."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Listen to me, you. I will finish my project and you will not stop me. No one will. Do you understand me?"

The unicorn's blue eyes sparked with anger. "You will do as I say or I will call my sister. She's a scary bitch."

"Sure. I'm going to wake up now."

"How?"

She closed her eyes. "Give me a minute…"

"That's it!" The unicorn bucked. Dana put her arms up, trying not to get hit. Nami's hoof connected with Dana, knocking her back. Nami came down hard, very near Dana's face. She snorted. "I'm giving you a chance to stop. Take it."

"No."

Nami put her horn over Dana's heart. It grew warm, growing white. Dana flinched, the pain hurting intensely. "Get off this project. Don't let anyone else on it either. Keep it to yourself."

Dana bared her teeth. "Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged." She pulled her horn slowly down Dana's skin. Then she picked it up and drew a line across it, forming an X. "This is a taste of my anger. I suggest you watch your back."

The word 'back' began to echo. Dana closed her eyes. "This won't scare me off." She opened her eyes.

What she saw was nothing unusual. She was in her study. Papers, folders, pens of many colors, and books were covering her desk. She sat up and yawned, pushing back some papers. "Damn it…" She said as she looked at one of the papers she had been sleeping on.

She sighed. "I suppose that I can rewrite my theory on the Reality of Dreams and Psychology."

She rubbed her heart, where she felt an itchy pain. She wasn't sure to rub it or scratch it. She undid four of the buttons to her shirt. As she placed her hand on her heart she felt the roughness of a scar.

She blinked. "Impossible. It was just a dream." She looked at the X over her heart. "It was a dream… a dream can't hurt you…" She closed her eyes. "Sleep… I need a decent night's sleep." She stood and stumbled off to bed.

Tai heard a swooshing noise. He looked up from the computer, wondering what it could possible be.

"Dude, what are you doing here?"

Tai stood and looked around carefully. "Matt?"

"Yep. I had a late rehearsal today with the band." The tall blond came out from behind a tree and shrugged. He kicked his skateboard up and held it. The only thought that came to Tai's mind was _how can he skateboard with a guitar strapped to his back?_

"Why do you hold rehearsals at school?"

"Because no one comes here voluntarily and that makes it perfect for quite practice. It comes out perfect I'd say."

"Yeah, that's why I'm here." He stood. "Ever since nearly losing Sammi I've been paying more attention to her and getting nothing finished."

"Hmmm… interesting. Maybe I should do that with Sin. She's always busy dancin' and ignorin' me… well, most of the time." His grin was wicked, Tai could tell he had something else to say. "During the day."

"Do I even wanna know about night?"

"We sit on one of our beds all night talking. Just talking. About the future mostly. Will we get married? Wanting three kids, two boys and a girl, careers… believe me, she won't let me go any farther then making out. 'I still have to go through college. Love you as much as I do, I can't let you interfere with that because I'm not going to sit at home and be a house wife while the man goes out working.' She is very independent."

Tai laughed. "Sounds like my Sammi. She says two kids, both boys… says that girls have too many fits for her to handle. I want about six… all girls. Boys in my family are just too stupid… me included."

"And the girls?"

"Well, that's why I'm with Sam. She's smart."

Matt laughed. "Sounds logical to me."

"Yeah…. Well, later, dude. I have to go and finish this damn story."

"Later then…" He sighed. "I guess I better go grab a car and take Ant to the doctor…"

"Why?"

"He's having some sort of shot… I guess it makes him loopy or something… or maybe he's going to the dentist… still a doctor, he'll know I'm sure." He turned, dropped his board and rolled off.

Tai laughed. "Those two are something else." He sat down and began to type again.

She had dreamed of the unicorn her entire vacation. She hadn't managed to figure out why she couldn't get away from it, but she had managed to wake up before it caused too much damage. She needed a natural sleep, and she knew it, but natural sleep was not helping her. She turned to sleeping pills. They had helped her sleep, and she could only be grateful about that.

Her first patient was coming soon, and she had to make sure she was prepared for this one. She had heard that he wasn't the best at listening to authority.

She busied herself with fixing up her candy dish, a soft pillow, and many ways to get a person to sleep. Everyone being different, she wasn't sure which would work for this one. Finally a soft knock on the door interrupted her. She closed her eyes and released her breath, pulling her to her senses. "I'm coming." She said calmly as she went to the door.

When she opened it she saw a boy, she was guessing he was probably in his twenties. He had black hair that hung below his shoulders, startling blue eyes, a very tall, well built frame, and very pale skin. She was having a hard time believing that any military unit would pick a man dressed as he was for any classified mission. His dark hair was shaggy, he wore tight jeans, a baggys Matalica shirt, and a large silver cross.

"Yo." He said with a wicked grin. "Name's Romeo Jamaal, but feel free to call me Romeo…or Ro if you really feel the urge…I'd also except R.J…. anything you can think of really."

"Talkative, aren't you?"

"Hey, I was asked to be a test dummy for an experiment, said they'd pay me some green. I asked what had to be done. They said to sleep while some lady watched me, I said hell yea I'd do that. So what happened was that I drunk a lot of coffee, Mountain Dew, and ate a lot of tofu chocolate to stay up all night. By now I'm running low on energy and will be sleepin' in a few minutes. I talk a lot when I'm tired, so yea, I'm talkative."

She nodded. "So you should just drop off to sleep, huh?"

"Yes. Very quickly. As soon as my body realizes that it can rest I will drop. But then, I haven't sleep for a week… high school habit. I use to only sleep on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Hard to break in college, ya know?"

"Not really… I use to sleep every night in high school and college. I still do." She smiled gently and offered her hand. "I'm Doctor Dana Genso. If you lay down here on my little… bed thing… we can get started. As soon as you go to sleep I'll start my job."

"Wait, you actually tell me when to go to sleep?"

"You're the one with the authority problem, aren't you?"

"Well… I don't have a problem with authority. They have a problem with me mostly. Yea… they don't really like how I express myself and have fun being myself. They don't like that at all. Nope."

"Fine, come in." She said, moving from the entrance.

He moved in and looked around. "_This_ is your office?"

"It's the one here. The one I have at home is a mess."

"Damn girl, I'd hate to see it if you call this clean."

"It's not clean, but it's cleaner then the one at home. I'm a busy women you know. Now, if you don't mind laying down so I can begin I would be happy to let you leave soon. If you have a problem sleeping in this mess I suggest you leave so I can tell the government that they can keep their money because you were of no help."

"I didn't say I couldn't sleep in it, I'm just sayin' that I've never saw a girl with an office this messy before. My _dorm_ is cleaner."

"Excuse me, you keep talking about college, what are you majoring in and what school are you attending?"

"I'm attending MYU, and majoring in physiology. I want to be a head doctor that prescribes medicines. It would kill my brother." He said with an all too wicked grin. "He's in the military. He sent mum a letter saying that he might get to go on a trip to space. I always said he was a space cadet, now I can say it as a complement. Gonna have to come up with a new insult, yep."

She nodded once again. "I see… do I know your brother?"

He jumped onto the sofa. "I dunno. Do ya? His name's Denis Brando. Tall blond dude, blue eyes. Tall… looks a lot like me. Little bit older though… not sure if they knew I was related to a military man, but hey, who am I to complain? I'm in college, I can always use the extra cash, right?"

"Ummm… okay. Yea, I think I know him actually. He's one of my patients, if I'm thinking of the right one. Says he's been sleeping better since he started coming here. Calmer I suppose. Not a real surprise."

"So what happens? Gonna tell me, or do I just go to sleep?"

"Would you like to know what happens?"

"Well… sure thing. If you're gonna be doin' some funky thing with my lil mind I guess I should know. At least, that's what my mom always told me. She's very protective, kinda scary to. Don't want to get her mad, nope, nope. Me and my brother got in trouble and always tried to blame it on the other, yes we did. I'm really tired, can you hurry so I can go to sleep? If I don't get to sleep soon I'm going to be talking a hundred miles an hour, or simply pass out and die from lack of sleep, is that possible?"

"Let's begin, shall we? You see, what happens is that when you go to sleep I go into a type of… comma. With this little necklace," She held up a charm dangling off a chain, "I enter into your mind to monitor your dreams. All of my patients get one, so don't be alarmed, though all are different. I wear this one." She held up a snowflake dangling from a silver chain.

"So, you get into my mind with that little flake and just watch my dreams?"

"Pretty much."

"That's kinda strange… couldn't you get into my mind at anytime then?"

"No. I would have to be at least three feet close to you."

He nodded. "Understood. I should warn you then… my dreams are very strange."

"Everyone has strange dreams. My theory is that whatever you dream is connected to your past and future."

"Mine's connected to my past."

"Well, you're going to help me a lot. The stranger the dream the better."

"Good." He laid down onto the bed. "I'm going to sleep." He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep instantly.

She blinked. "You need this…" With a sigh she lifted his head gently and slipped the amulet over his head. She sat in her chair and closed her eyes. After a few moments she was asleep, entering a world far different then any she'd ever seen before.

She could tell she was in a box, a box different then the one she'd been seeing. This one was cloudy, looking like it was going to rain soon. A river ran through it, an entire forest surrounding it. She started through the forest, following the river.

"I told you this would be strange."

She stared into a clearing she had found. The boy was floating with his legs crossed in meditation form, a giant angel creature behind him. He didn't bother to look at her, his eyes watching a screen. "You can tell I'm here?"

"Of course this is time to go home."

Tai looked up, unsure why he had typed anything about going home. As he looked up he saw a broad man looking down at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm the janitor." He said, shaking his bald head. "It's time to go home. It's getting late and I need to mow this."

He looked around, noticing for the first time that the sun had already went down. "Crap… I was suppose to be home at five. Thanks, sir!" He jumped up, clicked on save, and began to run home as he tucked the laptop under his arm.

He ran as fast as he could, which was decently fast. He ran down the sidewalk, everything looking a blur to him. "It's at least 6:30…" he whined. "I'm so fucking dead."

"Yo!" Came a shout from a car. He looked to see who it was. He saw Matt sitting, grinning at him from the passenger side. "Need a lift?"

"Totally. I stayed at the school too long typing, was suppose to be home by 5:00. Gonna die."

A laugh came from the driver's side. "Hop in Tai. We're going that way now. We already have your girlfriend."

"Hi, Taichi!"

He smiled. "Thanks, guys." He replied as he jumped into car.

"Not a problem." Sin's cheerful grin became something almost evil as she stared out the window. The engine roared. "I just got my license back today."

Tai felt the blood leave his face as he stumbled with the seatbelt. "Remember why you lost them, Sin."

"Oh, don't worry." The car took off, throwing everyone back and to the side as she took a curve. "The trick is not to get caught, and that I will not. That's what daddy told me. Don't get caught and you'll be okay."

"You're dad told you that?" He sputtered, latching onto the seatbelt as Sam grabbed onto him.

"About speeding?" Sam cried.

"Well… no. But it was the best advice he ever gave me."

"It was about making out in the boy's bathrooms, locker rooms and various classrooms." Matt said, as he reached for the dashboard.

"It's still damn good advice." She said, taking another turn, throwing everyone to the side once again.

"Your dad's totally cool."

"He has to be. He's never home. Not home, be cool and let children do practically anything. Good for kids." She took one last turn and hit the break. "Okay, everyone out. It's our street. Bye-bye."

Everyone crawled out of the car, nearly falling from their feet because of the sudden slowness. "Thanks, Sin." Tai said, feeling almost dizzy.

Sam leaned against him. "I don't think I can get home alone… and she was going so slowly after she left the license bureau."

Tai nodded. "Maybe you should come to my house and calm your head for a few minutes."

"Sorry, Sam. Hope you feel okay tomorrow."

She nodded. "Me too…"

Matt leaned back in his seat. "I don't want to go home."

"Why?"

"Ant's totally hyped on that laughing gas stuff from the dentist. Last I knew he was talking about unicorns floating and dancing monkey ballerinas…"

"Doesn't he always talk like that?"

"He says he taught them to fly, the monkeys do lap dances, and I look like a popsicle. And he did it all with that annoying dentist laugh."

Sin smiled. "You can come home with me. Daddy's due back at 2:00 tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me."

Tai wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulders and led her to his house. When they arrived Tai gently set Sam on the couch and sat beside her. She laid her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Can I go to sleep?"

"Yes."

"Can I stay here? With you forever?"

His smile was almost contagious as he wrapped both his arms around her. "Of course. I would have it no other way. Forever and always, my Sammi."

Tai sat in his room. It was late and he was terribly bored. He wanted to go and see his friends, but couldn't wake anyone. As he stared into the screen full of words a grin came to his lips. He pulled his digivice out and put it to the screen. In flash of light he found himself sitting on the ground, surrounded by trees, wearing an orange jacket with a blue shirt and blue jeans.

"Well… that's new." He stood and patted dirt from himself. "Agumon!" He called. "Where are ya, buddy?"

"Tai?"

"I'm here." He answered, picking up the laptop, surprised that he still had it. "Where are you? I'd like some help with my story."

The orange creature came running up, his green eyes shimmering. His tight orange skin showed his muscles off, and large claws hung from his arms. "I want to help! Let me help!"

Tai laughed as his friend sat down between his legs. "Okay, you can help, but how well can you type?"

"Not very well…"

"That's okay. You can help with ideas."

"Of course, this is my dream, my world. Why would I not know that you're there? I can control everything here."

"What do you mean?"

"The rain…" He closed his eyes and water begin to pour from the clouds. "The sun." It became very sunny. "Snow, autuam, spring, location." The forest around them disappeared, turning into a beach with the sun sinking down behind the ocean.

"Amazing…" She stared at him. Everything about him was at peace, and she could now tell why he was how he was. He was at peace with himself, and what others said or thought about him didn't matter. "Whose your angel?"

"My angel? He's my Dream Guardian. He protects and powers everything you see here."

His wings seemed to be made of gold, and he was ten times as big as any normal creature. He stared at Dana. His eyes were hidden behind his mask, and his beauty was obvious, even if he didn't have on the golden scarf. "How many times have you been warned about doing this?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not suppose to break into other peoples dreams, but learn your own."

"I want to complete my theory."

"I'm rather kind, so I will do nothing. But you shouldn't be here, Dana."

The black unicorn she had been seeing for days pranced up. "Dana… I told you to stay out. Many times."

Romeo looked at the unicorn. "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"Doesn't matter. I'm here to get rid of her."

"Don't. She can stay if she wants."

"Romeo, she's not allowed…"

The orange dinosaur she had seen in the beginning appeared. "I keep telling you to stay out. Can't you take a hint?"

"Wait! Who are you and why are so many dream guardians coming in my dreams? Go to your own people."

"I'm called Agu, and she's becoming a minice."

"I'm Nami, and I'm her guardian."

"Then why the hell are you threatening her?"

"Because she's ruining her own health."

Romeo closed his eyes. "That's it! Everyone _out_!" The box became white, an explosion coming from within the young man.

Dana sat up, sweat coming from her forehead. She felt cold everyone. As she stared at her patient she couldn't help but notice that he had gone into something similar to a seizure. "Oh, God, oh God… what do I do? Wake up." She said, shaking him gently. "Wake up."

She ran out of the room, looking around for someone, anyone. "Call an ambulance!" She shouted, seeing someone for the first time. "Call anyone. We need help in here!"

She ran back to the room, to watch Romeo and see if there was anyway she could possible help. Se stared at his now still body. He wasn't dead, she could see him breathing. Gently she shook him. "Wake up… please, wake up."

"I told you bad things could happen." Came the voice of her unicorn. "You just couldn't listen. You had to pick and pick until this."

"Is he dead?"

"No, but I don't know when he'll wake up."

She sat down, hugging her legs. "I put him in a comma… this is all my fault." She began to cry.

The unicorn snorted. "It _is_ your fault. You had to ignore us, the ones that knew the most about it."

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

When the ambulance arrived they found Romeo as he was, lying still, barely breathing. Dr. Genso was still hugging her legs, saying it was her fault.

A month later Romeo woke up, but Dr. Genso was never the same. She terminated her project, saying that what she was doing was a ridiculous, dangerous idea to begin with. She began working with animals, eventually becoming a veterinarian.

Tai smiled. "Give me five! You da mon!" Tai blinked, then laughed slightly. "I mean three."

"Is it over Tai?"

He nodded. "It's over. Thanks, Agumon."

"Anytime."

Tai looked at his watch. "I gotta go, dude… I need to get to bed so that I can look alive tomorrow." He stood and closed up the laptop. "Bye."

"When will you be back?"

"Soon, Agudude. Soon." With a smile he leaped back to his world.

He stared at the screen, rubbing his eyes. "Well, I did my sci-fi story… hope it passes…. And now it's time for bed." He laid down and slipped off to sleep.


End file.
